93 Festiva wont start

[AirForceJeff]

OK, I'm a new Festiva owner and looking forward to driving this car if I can just get it running, looking for some help while I'm waiting on repair manual to get here to see if I can find the problem. Here's the info

I'm Jeff, the car is in West Central Missouri
1993 Festiva GL, automatic

Car has only been driven a few hundred miles each year the past 3 years, last February it wouldn't start, previous owner had fuel pump replaced and ran fine. Parked the car for a couple of months and then it wouldn't start again, and that's when I bought it from them.

Turns over and has spark but no fuel, will start for a minute if you spray starter fluid in the intake. The inertia switch is not tripped and I noticed today that the fuel gauge is not working either, also put in about 4 gallons of gas just to make sure it wasn't empty, gauge still didn't move when turning the key on,not sure if that's related or a seperate problem?

I've read on here about a wire near the firewall that you can use to check the fuel pump system but not sure which one, mine has 3 single wire plugs there and then a couple multi-wire ones too.

I've read lots of great info that you folks have posted on this site so I'm confident you will get me pointed in the right direction.

Jeff

[stefan]

welcome!

since its been sitting quite abit the injectors could be clogged.

[kzbill]

First thing to check is the fusible links on the drivers side shock tower, connections and wires them selves. I think the Main runs the fuel pump.

[freshtiva]

I think the fuel test connector has a green wire with a red stripe and a black wire. Its a two position socket type connector. Just use a jumper to connect the two wires. This completes the ground. You might want to wait to see if someone will confirm this. The connector should be around the master cylinder area. Oh yeah, welcome to the forum from a fellow Missourian.

[scitzz]

A quick and easy check to see if the fuel pump is running takes 2 people. take the gas cap off, get an empty paper towel tube, put it to your ear with the other end to the gas fill tube. Second person turns key to on position. You should hear the pump whir for a couple of seconds. If not, then you know you are on the right track. There is an outside chance the tank has contaminants clogging up the pump as well.......

[jglutz]

There is an outside chance the tank has contaminants clogging up the pump as well.......

or the fuel filter...located 6 inches below frestiva's hand.

Fuel indicator not working...no fuel... what do they have in common....
The circuits run through the same connector...this connector is located under the back seat...under the carpet...under the hatch cover.

[25Horseplay]

Another possibilty is the flapper in the air box is stuck and not moving.

[neanderpaul]

The fuel float sensors are notorious for going bad. So that is common. To access the fuel pump (if it is bad) flip and fold the back seat all the way forward. Pop up the carpet retainer thing-a-muh-bobs. Then remove the cover and then the fuel pump/float sensor assembly. You need to do this to replace the float sensor anyway. Here is a pic of what the float sensor looks like with the cover off of the contact points. You can see the wires are broken. This results in your gauge working until you get to a half tank. Then it drops off to below "E".

[neanderpaul]

... and all you need is a phillips head screwdriver.

[neanderpaul]

... sorry to post again and again but. Like kzbill said. Check the fusable links behind the battery first. You can sometimes just wiggle them to get it to work. And one more thing WELCOME! to this site and the festiva.

[AirForceJeff]

Thanks for the inputs so far, I began this whole adventure by checking power at the fuel pump connector with the key to "on" only had one wire and it had 5 volts, so I assume that this will be to the guage sending unit. Then thought no other voltage meant that I had a power problem but I have read a couple threads on here that state the engine has to be cranking (or the VAF open) for the pump to get power. So my current plan of action is to jumper that test connector near the wiper motor (thanks for the info and pic Freshtiva I wasn't sure which connector to use). Then if that doesn't work I will check the fusible links. I'll also pull the cover off and check the float.

Thanks again for all the quick replies and information!!

[neanderpaul]

No problem. Good luck!